Mahoning health board gets 1 of only 54 accreditations in US

AUSTINTOWN

The Mahoning County District Board of Health has achieved a five-year national accreditation from the Public Health Accreditation Board, county health officials announced Wednesday.

The local public-health agency is one of only 54 health departments nationally and five in Ohio that have received this recognition out of nearly 3,000 health departments nationwide, said Patricia Sweeney, county health commissioner.

“The community now knows that we are a quality health department. It’s demonstrated nationally,” Sweeney said.

The Alexandria, Va.-based, nonprofit accrediting board is funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

“Residents of a community served by a nationally accredited health department can be assured that their health department has demonstrated the capacity to protect and promote the health of that community,” said Dr. Kaye Bender, president and chief executive officer of the accrediting board.

Read more about the rating in Thursday's Vindicator or on Vindy.com.